Last month me, @jallixx and @miguegarc1a attempted what as far as we are aware was a FKT of a route called The Giant Circle, which is according to its creator @jonathan__kb is the biggest circle you can cycle in The UK.
We set off from Greenwich at 7:30, 20th of April. The first day we rode 260k to Bristol. The route was very turning out to be pretty beautiful. Rolling terrain ond green fields for most of the day. Unfortunately Miguel had to end the ride halfway through, he was struggling with 🍑 soreness. It was pretty hard going towards the end especially after it got dark and it started to rain. With our front lights illuminating the road and our rain jackets on we battled the last 20%+ climbs leading into Bristol. We managed to reach the hotel by 9pm that evening.
Day 2 started in the 🌧️ crossing the The Severn bridge into Wales. The rest of the day spoiled us with amazing views, rolling descents and quite a lot of climbing. Here the route was really showing its best side so far!
Day 3 was another big one, 250k and 3000m elevation gain. Started out from Shrewsbury into The Peak District. I wa route that was designed mainly to be circular was avoiding all major roads and we found ourselves going down country lanes with very little traffic. I had started the day with a bit of sore achilles tendon, and matters got worse when my rear shifter stopped working as we were coming down from the peaks. I couldn't really shift to a higher gear so I was pedalling like mad on the descents to keep up with James. We decided that we had to seek out a mechanic. This meant we went on a bit of detour and lost a bit of time. By 6pm the mechanic had done what he could (apparently he could fix the problem) and we had 100k left to our next stop in Spalding. We set off to try to make it before it got too late. James was drinking golden syrup straight from the bottle and we were racing through the dark and reached the hotel by 10pm. We were rejoined with Migs and @swiks , who had brought a new gear cable for me that I replaced in the hotel room.
The last day started on the flat plains of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, battling
At the end of July last summer I started in The @thetranscontinental Race No11. My aim was to get a general classification finish. That means finishing the race within the timeframe of 18 days, reaching each checkpoint before their closing time, and not to break any of the ten rules of the race.
1. Ride from the designated start line to the designated finish via the controls
2. No third-party support, private lodgings or resupply. All food, drink and equipment must be carried with you or acquired at commercially available services.
3. No drafting (other than pairs with their partners).
4. All forward travel overland must be human powered.
5. The following ferry services are permitted: direct river crossings, Adriatic Sea crossings
6. All riders must maintain evidence of their ride.
7. 2+ days of inactivity without report to the Rider Comms Manager will be deemed a scratch.
8. Travel insurance, cycle helmets and lights are mandatory.
9. Riders must know and observe all local traffic laws.
10. Ride in the spirit of self-reliance and equal opportunity.
I was riding an average of 260 kilometers per day, and managed to get to the finish line just in time. It was an incredible experience and I got to see such amazing places, met some incredible people and ate some fantastic food! I guess I have selective memory because that's what I remember the most. But it was of course very hard too, I pushed my body to its limit day in and day out. There was a lot of pain, but that goes away pretty quickly after and you're left with an amazing feeling of achievement and good memories!
Frame: @vitusbikes
Group set: @rideshimano
Wheels: @elitewheels_cycles
Tires: @conti_bicycle
Bike packing bags: @apidura@zefalbike
Navigation/computer: @corosglobal
Rear light: @moonlightmountaingear
Clothing: @maap.cc@q36.5@albion.cycling
Sleeping pad: @seatosummit
#cycling #ultracycling #bikepacking #tcrno11 #thetranscontinental
Last year I cycled from London to the Isle of Wight and back. I left on Friday afternoon and bivvied in the South Downs the first night. I took the ferry from Portsmouth in the late morning Saturday and did a lap of the island. It's a really beautiful place to ride a bike!
I got the ferry back to Portsmouth in the evening and stayed at a hotel there the second. On the Sunday I cycled back to London. I've linked the route in my bio if you'd be interested in trying it out.
#cycling #bikepacking #isleofwight
During mine and @miguegarc1a trip to Nice earlier this year we did a little ride into Monaco to see what it's like. Found a nice steep climb at the top of the city, the famous race track, parking garages and a few expensive looking boats. The riding was nice though, would recommend!
Find the Strava route in my bio
https://strava.app.link/Mhdb1XD8U2b — Monaco loop
#monaco #roadcycling #monacocycling
Running my second marathon this weekend. It's going to be amazing to race in the city I call home! A very rare opportunity for most, so I feel very privileged to be able to. Tbh I found it pretty hard to get properly locked in to marathon training this time around, a few sessions have been skipped during my 12 week training plan. I'm not in shape to get a new PB but I will do my best and most importantly enjoy the race to the fullest! Really looking forward to the amazing support that London is famous for! Roll on Sunday!
But mostly I've chosen the bike whenever I had the chance, so I'm really excited to get really into training on two wheels after this. I did my first crit race a few weeks ago, and loved it! So that's something I definitely will do more of this year. Also, training for my second TCR will properly commence now
#londonmarathon #running
Just in time for my trip to Nice tomorrow, @via_atelier.cc lent me this set of very nice Cadex wheels! With their carbon one piece spoke and hub construction they're very light-weight, perfect for tackling the climbs of the Southern Alps. They go very well with my Giant Defy too, I must say! What do you think?
@giantbicycles@cadexcycling
The sun came back briefly to the UK, so we made the most of it by hitting our fast route in Essex
@girocycling@quocshoes@maap.cc@giantuk
#londoncycling #roadcycling
Last April I used a weekend to cycle out to the Norfolk Coast and back from London. I started Friday evening and came back home Sunday afternoon. I camped out the first night, but the second night I stayed at a hotel because it got really cold that night. This was part of my training and testing out kit for the TCR last year.
547 kilometres ridden
19 hours of riding
Two nights spent on the road
@komoot@thetranscontinental@adventurehydration
#norfolk #ultracycling #selfsupported
#kask #maap
Some landscapes captured during #tcrno11 last summer. Really looking forward to what #tcrno12 will bring this summer. Starting in Norway and finishing in Greece, I'm sure the race will deliver some spectacular views on the way.
@thetranscontinental
#ultracycling #selfsupported #europe
